Ruthenium complexes RuX2(diphosphine)(1,2-diamine) (wherein X is chlorine, diphosphine is 2,2′-bis-(diphenylphosphino)-1-1′-binaphthyl, and 1,2-diamine is 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine) in the presence or absence of bases rapidly and enantioselectively hydrogenate relatively simple ketones (e.g., acetophenone) in 2-propanol to give corresponding alcohols (e.g., refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-189600).